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CAMION CARTOONS 



CAMION 
CARTOONS 



BY 



KIRKLAND H. DAY 




BOSTON 
MARSHALL JONES COMPANY 

MDCCCCXIX 



31 






COPYRIGHT, 1919 
BY MARSHALL JONES COMPANY 



All rights reserved 



APR 18 1913 



THE-PLIMPTON-PRESS 
NORWOOD-MAS S-U-S -A 



'CLA525129 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE 

'H r^HE writer of these letters and maker of 
these drawings went overseas with the 
first Technology unit ; landed in France on the 
Fourth of July, 191 7; began his service as 
a member of the Reserve Mallet, and was 
mustered into the American Army on Octo- 
ber 1, 191 7. In preparing the letters and 
cartoons for the press, it was thought best 
to begin where rumors of impending German 
surrender first appear in the correspondence, 
thus confining the humorously illustrated 
story to the last weeks of the war. Mr. Day 
wrote his letters with no intention or expecta- 
tion of having them published; that is en- 
tirely the work of his friends, who believe that 



vi INTRODUCTORY NOTE 

his impromptu sketches will be found to 
furnish ample justification for the existence of 
this book. 

Mr. Day served in the Reserve Mallet, a 
camion unit to whose spirit and efficiency 
Stars and Stripes has paid the following un- 
affected and authentic tribute: 

"In a summer when again and again the 
historic phrase ' Franco-American troops' 
makes its appearance in the communiques, 
the distinction of being the complete amalgam 
of the two armies belongs to the flying squad- 
ron of emergency transportation, that trund- 
ling troop of trucks, that charging company 
of camions, the Mallet Reserve. 

"This organization consists of 700 five-ton 
trucks — American trucks driven over French 
roads, driven now by French now by American 
drivers, officered by French and American 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE vii 

officers, carrying French and American troops, 
French and American ammunition. 

"The Mallet Reserve is so named because 
its commanding officer is Major Mallet of the 
French Cavalry, and is called a Reserve be- 
cause it is attached to no Army Corps, but 
rather is held in reserve for emergency duty 
whenever a crisis in the war brings a crisis in 
transportation. 

"This means that the interminable line of 
camions bearing the Mallet mark will in- 
variably appear wherever things are hottest, 
that the trucks and their drivers know no 
rest from one year's end to the other. 

"Thus you saw them along the roads up 
Cambrai way last fall. When French troops 
were rushed into the gap that opened during 
the German drive of March, Mallet trucks 
carried them, and they were Mallet trucks 
which bore northward the French soldiers who 



viii INTRODUCTORY NOTE 

made their sudden and startling appearance 
among the British in Flanders during the April 
fighting. The American troops and ammuni- 
tion that were moved with a rush to the lines 
of the Chateau-Thierry front were trans- 
ported, many of them, in the home grown 
camions of the Mallet Reserve. 

"The trucks themselves, if you examine 
them, tell many a story of transport under 
shell-fire, tell of machine gunners borne to 
the very rim of the battle so that gunners 
need only drop from the camion, run down a 
field and start firing." 

When this book went to press, Mr. Day was 
still in service, with the American Army of 
Occupation. 



CAMION CARTOONS 

October 6, 191 8 
Dear Mother — 

Today the war ended ! — at least, one of 
the buck privates read it so. He got hold of 
a French newspaper, and caused some ex- 
citement until one of the boys, who could read 
the Lingo, commandeered the sheet. At any 
rate, the Huns are beginning to squeal. Just 
wait until a few Boche villages begin to get 
theirs, and peace notes will begin to come 
over. . . . 

Well! I arrived back in camp again after 
some jumping about France. We got away 
from Aix without any trouble, but from 
then on we began to wonder if we would get 



2 CAMION CARTOON S 

back into camp for Christmas. The trains 
over here hate to get anywhere. 

It was night when we arrived in Paris, 
late as usual, and so dark we had to hang 
on to each other to keep from getting lost. 
Having been there before, I was elected 
guide, and I got the gang to the Provost 
Marshal 0. K., where we got our passes 
stamped, and then I left them for the Uni- 
versity Union. Coming back from permis- 
sion, I was not loaded down with money, 
but did have enough to see me through one 
night. The Union was crowded, but I found 
a place at a nearby hotel — a dandy room 
on the ground floor, which rather surprised 
me. During the bombing season, ground 

floor rooms are the first to be taken. 

The next afternoon I went, with a lieu- 
tenant I had met at the Union, to take a 
look at Napoleon's tomb. We walked over 



4 CAMION CARTOONS 

— the lieutenant's pocketbook must have 
been as flat as mine. I will never regret 
going, and I shall never forget the thrill I 
got when standing in the doorway of the 
chapel and seeing that golden light flooding 
the cross. 

That golden light, that living cross, and 
the pale blue-gray rays falling from the 
side windows, made me feel miles from any 
one. 

The tomb itself was covered with sand- 
bags. I remember going to the tomb when 
I was here with you, before the war; but how 
I could have forgotten that inspiring sight 
is beyond me. 

There was no more time for sightseeing, 
as I could not take a chance on missing 
my train. 

Since my return I have heard the news 
that our company clerk is leaving, and that 




Save YouaMoNEY- I 






,y 






6 CAMION CARTOONS 

I am to take on his job as well as have charge 
of the mess. It will be pretty nice in the 
winter, but I hate inside work and would 
much rather ride a camion. 



CO* FEB 




8 CAMION CARTOONS 

October 12 
Dear Mother — 

Today has been another rumor day. Those 
coming back from convois sure have one hot 
line from the front. "William the Hun" has 
agreed, and the Boche have stacked arms and 
are doing the goose-step back to Germany. 
Would that it were true! Still, the way the 
Huns are going now, they haven't time to 
goose-step, it's more of a fox-trot. 

I'm enclosing one ticket good for a visit 
from Santa Claus. Tell him to pack the 
cigarettes and gum with care. Don't chase, 
around to get stuff to fill the box — just pack 
it full of cigarettes and send it along. Don't 
put in a Christmas card, it takes up room. 



io CAMION CARTOON S 

October 18 
Dear Mother — 

Once upon a time I went to church and they 
sang a song about "Rest, rest, for the weary." 
When I get home, I'm going to climb into bed 
and let them sing me to sleep with that song. 
Weary! Sleep! I could make a hibernating 
bear look as though it had insomnia. 

Did I ever write a letter in which I didn't 
say "We have moved." If so it must have 
been when little apples were made. We have 
moved! The way the Huns are going back- 
wards, my next letter should be headed 
"Somewhere in Germany." This move has 
been one for the better in regard to quarters. 
The Germans didn't do much hating in this 
village. No doubt they didn't have time. 
At any rate the houses are standing on their 
own feet and the roofs are pretty much all 
together. 




Day 



12 CAMION CARTOON S 

Germany is down and out. Everywhere 
you notice and see it. The French are rubbing 
the defeat in. Before this wonderful drive 
you never saw a light anywhere. Now every- 
where you see them. Autos go by with their 
head lights thumbing their noses. In the 
woods, in the field, in houses, and barracks, 
there is no attempt to conceal lights. 



A WottttY 
Tor 




i 4 CAMION CARTOON S 

October 3 1 
Dear Mother — 

I have just finished up with the "Flu." 
Believe me, eight days with it is enough for 
me and I don't want to see it again. Feel 
about as useful as a pair of pajamas in the 
army. The Flu hit me when I wasn't look- 
ing and got me down before I knew what 
struck me. They took me over to the camp 
infirmary and put me to bed. When you are 
once in bed you have no desire to leave. If 
you do get up you find that your legs are no 
longer mates, and refuse to work together. 

Just now I'm back in my old room wonder- 
ing what it has all been about. I slept most 
of the time at the infirmary and had some 
fine dreams. Pushing logs about and driving 
over cliffs in camions were my favorites. 
Once in a while I would dream that I was at 



16 CAMION CARTOONS 

home again, but every time I was to see you 
they would make me crank up my camion and 
go somewhere else. I hope some day I'll be 
able to dream without having a camion enter 
into it. I still don't feel much like sitting 
down to any kind of a meal. The first shave 
I had since I was taken was yesterday. It 
nearly killed me, and I left my moustache on 
until my arm gets a little stronger. The 
camp is shy a barber or I would have let 
someone else do the job. If we don't get a 
barber soon I'm going to start braiding my 
hair. . . . 

Over here nothing is ever stolen, swiped or 
pinched. It is always "Systeme D." As I 
understand it there are three right ways of 
getting things in the French army. Either 
by Systeme A, B, or C. If you can't get 
what you want through these three channels, 
you "Systeme D" it. All sorts of things 




At=t ^^ T*^_ Wai\l. 



18 CAMION CARTOONS 

from coal to pianos have been obtained 
through this "let not your left hand see what 
your right is doing" method. Some one said 
that by the end of the war we would all be 
first class crooks. There may be more truth 
than poetry in that. At any rate it's a safe 
bet that we won't starve to death while the 
war is going on. You would think that "Gott 
Mit Uns" was made in the United States in- 
stead of Germany, if you were to look at the 
belts. I thought, until I went on permission, 
that only the boys in the Reserve Mallet 
wore the Hun belt. As far as I've seen prac- 
tically every "Yank" has and wears one of 
these belts. Fully as many pants in the 
United States Army in France are held up 
by "Gott Mit Uns" as are held up by the 
regulation belt. 




The* ij£D Hats *tyb** £>r Thi* 

ASAtCSr 0\JU^ COOM& (Ja&EAJ 



20 CAMION CARTOON S 

November 9 
Dear Mother — 

Isn't the news wonderful ! One of the boys 
drifted in with a French newspaper and trans- 
lated the armistice terms laid down to Austria. 
The Allies certainly left out the silver platter 
when they handed them over. Wouldn't I 
like to be there when the Hun comes running 
out with the white flag to call on General 
Foch. We are all saying, "When we move 
let's take a trip to Austria." It may be a 
case like the fellow who said, "Why learn 
French when we will be talking German in 
Berlin soon." Only it will be Vienna if we 
should roll to Austria. Just think of their 
being eighty minutes from Berlin by air. 
Soon the aviation report will be, "So many 
tons of bombs dropped on 'Unter den Lin- 
den.'" Won't the Huns yell! 




<— ° ? 



22 CAMION CARTOONS 

One of the boys that has come in since I 
started this letter has just gone out to get a 
bottle of wine so that we can celebrate the 
glorious reports. If we start in celebrating 
all such news, it will be — "Vin tous les 
jours." Italy showed that she had a punch 
in each hand. Sad news from the front — 
"No wine." Some one else must have de- 
cided to celebrate. . . . 

All the talk these days is, "When I get 
home." I've heard what every man is going 
to eat, wear, and do, when he gets to the 
other side. Each one has his own taste in 
regard to food. In the clothing line, anything 
but a uniform is popular. As for doing — I 
am afraid the wheels of progress are not going 
to move very fast. All the boys are going to 
just sit or sleep. 

There is now a barber in town — A French 
one. Although I need a hair cut pretty 



H/wt A Ca^e! 
Have, a Ca*e! 

I Do NT WomtI 
To G Homi 



Don' Woaav ! 
[fott The Lox/£Ot 

i H ^'u Th.nk 

The Roch^ 
^i-» one or 



S. 



24 CAMION CARTOON S 

badly, I think I'll stay away. From the work 
he has done on a few of the boys, I have come 
to the conclusion that I can do as good a job 
myself. Over here a bald headed man has the 
advantage. Nothing doing with the clippers, 
however, once was enough for me with a con- 
vict head. . . . 

The latest in regard to what becomes of us 
after peace is declared, is that we will be with 
the Army of Occupation. That doesn't sound 
at all good. It is a good thing that hearing 
is not believing in most cases or I would be 
on pins and needles all the time. 



I'm GwaN 
Home. -WHEE 




26 CAMION CARTOONS 

November 10 
Dear Mother — 

The night before last there was wild ex- 
citement in camp. All afternoon we had been 
hearing the latest news from the front, and 
the war was finished at least every five 
minutes. That night one of the boys re- 
turned from the mission and said that a 
Lieutenant told him that there was no doubt 
about it, Germany had thrown up the sponge. 
I wasn't there, being asleep in bed at the time, 
but they woke me up and told me between — 
hies — that the war was over. The piano in 
one company's house was playing all the war 
music that was ever written and the air rang 
with cheers, popping of corks, songs, and 
whatnot. It wasn't long before our door was 
banged open. We were paged and told that 
the war was fini, and to come out and join 



28 CAMION CARTOON S 

the party. I'm afraid they didn't get much 
of a response from us, both of us being pretty 
tired. Some day they won't be crying wolf 
and we are going to miss out on the party. 
The Frenchmen are just about crazy, and 
who can blame them? When the end comes, 
and it's coming sooner than any of us realize, 
you in the States will get the all over feeling 
long before we do. Things will go on for us 
camion drivers just about as they are going 
now, and not until both feet are planted on 
the other side of the pond will the guerre be 
really finished for us. 



3 o CAMION CARTOON S 

November n 
Dear Mother — 

Am I awake or is it a dream. It doesn't 
seem possible that the war is OVER. When 
it was brought home to me that the armistice 
had been signed, it left me not dancing with 
joy but numb. It didn't seem possible and 
now, two hours after, I'm just beginning to 
cheer. Think of the millions that are made 
happy these days, and think of those whose 
boys will never return. Just about two 
weeks ago the lieutenant I had in C Co. was 
killed. He was a fraternity brother of mine, 
and one of the finest fellows I have ever had 
the pleasure of knowing. I am glad that I 
have had the privilege of being one in the 
great Army of Right. My only regret is that 
I could not have come over about three years 
sooner. 



32 CAMION CARTOONS 

I remember when I first got here, early in 
July, 1917, how we looked forward to the day 
when America would have its army in the 
field. There was no question in our minds 
about their showing something. When they 
did get in they showed something all right, 
they showed more than something. It was 
a case of "The best is none too good." 

We have moved along twice since I last 
wrote. To look at the signs in this place you 
would think you were in Germany. German 
names for streets and German signs every- 
where. This isn't the first of that kind that 
we have struck, but it was more so than 
the others. We are in a huge farmhouse 
that used to be for Hun officers only. Its 
roof hasn't a hole and we haven't a broken 
pane of glass in our windows. We have the 
best room yet, and a fireplace that could 
take a tree, roots and all. The Boche turned 




XMOOCA. AR.*** SPOILT S 

Ts a»Qao A* TMiNt T« Tmi> That"hay Stack. 

T5AG-- 



34 CAMION CARTOONS 

a nearby farm into a bath house and it is a 
wonder. Showers beaucoup and tiled bath 
rooms with enameled tubs. They moved so 
fast that there isn't much damage done. 
They did leave their trade mark though. 
There is a chateau that looks perfectly O. K. 
from the outside, but inside it is a total loss. 
They planted a mine and wrecked it. Mines 
are planted all over the road. Yesterday 
afternoon two went off. The last blew our 
windows open. 

Understand we are on our way to Some- 
where in Germany. 

We will be on the move, I expect, for some 
time now so my letters may be few and far 
between. Will try and keep them coming 
through. 



36 CAMION CARTOONS 

November 20 
Dear Mother — 

Wars may come and wars may go, but we 
go on forever. Believe me! when we heard 
that the armistice had been signed, you would 
have thought we had all gone suddenly crazy. 
It took some time, I'll admit, for the good 
news to sink in — but when it did — Oh 
boy! 

We are now on the way towards Germany. 
It is almost a certainty that we will travel 
along with one of the French armies of oc- 
cupation; carrying Ravitaillement (grub for 
man and beast) to them. Talk about mov- 
ing, ever since the last shell was fired, that's 
all we have been doing. You would think we 
were a checker game. I can't say we were 
tickled to death at the "Army of Occupation" 
news as we expected to be on our way towards 
the States within a couple of months. 




£.. las rtiC-HT 2.C- 
To Pa V JL r e a r_ Yes - 



Oieu 



1 



take: meHome.'. - « ~ 

LET ME.0\jTOF"T^^^. • 




* % Wa^ 



Iifi.1^ 



38 CAMION CARTOONS 

November 22 
Dear Mother — 

They say that a tug boat, or some kind of 
a water animal, is going to brave the dangers 
and carry mail across to the folks at home. 
I am therefore stealing a few moments from 
my soldierly duties to throw a bit of ink. I'd 
much rather take the place of this letter and 
let them ferry me across instead, but as we 
are elected to be a part of the clean-up squad, 
it can't be done. 

It is sad but true, but we are a part of one 
of the French armies of occupation and are 
now "Nach Berlin." We are making the 
grade by the instalment plan — stop here to- 
day and move on tomorrow. Our job is 
carrying "Ravitaillement," and we are just 
as busy now as we were during the days of 
shot, shell, and bomb. Just as busy, but it's 



Ca**m Xo PohC UkE To Be 

Company am where Ds*r 

t V/'AS*. V ' — - 




40 CAMION CARTOONS 

a great deal more tiresome without any 
excitement. 

That is, it's more tiresome for the drivers 
and some sergeants. The clerk's duties are 
just the same, although I have been told that 
I'm to take over the mess and supply sergeant's 
jobs along with what I am already doing, 
which is nothing at all. Guess they decided 
I was wearing out too many chairs, and draw- 
ing too many pictures for a "Soldat deuxieme 
classe." There was enough yelling with the 
old mess sergeant and I can see a battle royal 
ahead of me when I begin to dish up the 
chow. As for getting clothes, it can't be 
done. Some of the men are running around 
in pants held together with wire, pins, and 
string. 

It is going to be a cold winter, and I hope 
that those at the other end get a little pep 
and begin to unwind Mr. Red Tape. 



V/HOSE. WIN £H 
DAY'S ? 



se. 



^?>*- 




A*4Aat> WAR. Tor. H|/VV- 



42 CAMION CARTOONS 

All day troops have been passing here, 
going up; part of the army that we are at- 
tached to, so I wouldn't be surprised if we 
were on the go again soon. 

Have seen thousands of returning prisoners, 
refugees full of spirit, but so pinched and 
hungry looking, clothed in rags and even in 
the uniform of the Boche soldier. We fed 
some at our kitchen one night and they were 
starved. 

In the town I sent my last letter from, the 
son of the people whose house we had taken 
over dropped in to look the place over. It 
was the first time in four years that he had 
seen his parents' home. His mother, sixty- 
four, and his father, sixty-eight, were carried 
off by the Huns in February. They were ex- 
pected back almost any day and he wanted to 
see what there was left. The house was in 
perfect condition and there were a few sticks 







£•«.«. Mftpp £N WMftw 

WHEN X G-£T 

Home Atte^ • 

THEWAR Sucfc 
Things Av Tnese 

ma\ hapten! 



44 CAMION CARTOONS 

of furniture about, but the Boche had taken 
the meat and left nothing but the bone. His 
parents were more fortunate than many, 
having a home with a roof, but even then it's 
pretty tough for two old people to return to 
their home and find it stripped of the things 
they loved. 

From the shooting around here one would 
think that the war was still going on. Almost 
every one that has a gun is out banging away, 
and once in a while a mine will go off and 
shake the house. The Italians stationed here 
got hold of some rockets, and every night they 
dot the sky with red and green lights. Every 
day is a Fourth of July, but not a "safe and 



sane" one. 



The Italians were life savers in that they 
had a portable barber shop, first time we have 
run into a good barber shop in a long time. 
One of the boys in our company took a 







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46 CAMION CARTOONS 

hand at the game, but after trying his luck 
on a few heads, the bottom fell out of his 
business. 

The camions are just about on their last 
legs. It is to be expected, as they are rolled 
"tous les jours" and they are not in the camp 
long enough for the drivers to work on them. 
Out of our eighteen cars we have about ten 
that are able to roll. If they keep on going, 
there won't be anything left to drive and they 
will have to send us home. 

The American army has forgotten for so 
long that we, in the Reserve Mallet, are a 
part of them, we don't expect them to think 
of us suddenly in this stage of the game. 

Permissions are still going on and no one 
seems in any hurry to get back. Those who 
were in Paris at the time of the signing of the 
armistice have wild tales to tell. 




v&) 



48 CAMION CARTOONS 

November 27 
Dear Mother — 

The lid is off, at last we can come out of 
the trenches and go over the top in our letters. 
Old Man Censor has had his whiskers cut and 
we can throw the ink from bottle to paper 
without a worry. 

As you know, I jumped from the minor 
league (American Field Service) into the 
major (U. S. Army) on October 1st, 19 17. 
After taking the leap we were sent to Soissons 
(Aisne) which was to be our home for some 
little time. Soissons was some town! The 
Boche had been there before us, but had left 
a great part of the city standing. With its 
hotels, cafes, tea rooms, stores, and bath 
house, we led the life of Riley. 

Our camp lay just on the edge of the city 
on the bank of the Aisne river, and in the 




WE HAkVE T-MS K»MO AhO 



So CAMION CARTOONS 

camp I had my first lesson in ditch digging, 
kitchen policing, drilling, rock breaking, and 
a few other like things. 

Things went along pretty smooth for us 
until March 21, when there came the grand 
finale as far as Soissons was concerned. Up 
to that date we had had a few air raids, 
which would start the twins barking and us 
running for abris. The twins were a pair 
of "seventy-fives" in a field right behind 
camp. 

On March 21 things began to pick up. All 
the morning I had been hauling rock and more 
rock, and along towards noon I was tired, 
dirty, and didn't much care if school kept or 
not. I walked into our barracks and started 
some water boiling to remove my rock haul- 
ing makeup (as far as I know, that water is 
still boiling). Was lying on my bunk when 
the word came that we were to pack up our 



52 CAMION CARTOONS 

stuff and be ready to move at any moment. 
It was like a bolt out of a clear sky. "Be 
ready to move," and we thought we were 
settled for the rest of the war! 

It did not take long to roll up my blankets, 
to dump my stuff into my barracks bag, and 
to lug it all down to my truck. Started to 
roll my blankets after I got them to the 
camion, when there came a whistle, a bang, 
and a shower of dirt, stones, and twigs. A 
shell had landed on the other side of the river. 
Before I had time to collect my thoughts 
there came another whistle. This time I was 
under the truck ahead of the bang, — more 
dirt, rocks, and twigs. No wonder they 
were moving camp! There was a bridge 
dead ahead of me, about forty yards away. 
These two shells had just missed the end 
furthest from me, and I could see that if the 
bridge was the attraction I didn't want to 




6 



(t 







H°M& WA5 NEv£{L UKt TvrtVS- 




54 CAMION CARTOONS 

stick around. My blankets were still un- 
rolled and I started at them again. Another 
whistle, another dive, and this time a regular 
downpour. This shell had landed on my side 
of the river just off the bridge. Right on its 
heels came another, and this one saw my exit. 
I started for camp on the run, but didn't 
get far before there came a bang. The con- 
cussion floored me and when I picked myself 
together, saw a bunch of the boys gathered 
around something under a tree that had 
been hit. 

The something was one of the boys wounded, 

in the leg. Why no one else was wounded, or 
no one killed, is a miracle, as that shell hit 

where every one seemed to be. No doubt 

hitting so high up the eclat was thrown over 

our head. The boy who was wounded is now 

in the States. His leg is now O. K., but he 

will always be lame. 




T*£liHAP*» W»UL^K-p£.aHAt>«,. 



56 CAMION CARTOONS 

That noon while at lunch two more shells 
landed in the river, side of the dining room. 
It seemed as though they were following us. 
Later on when we turned the trucks around 
and ran them by camp away from the bridge, 
the shells began to land up at that end. That 
night, however, the Huns raised their guns 
and began to send the shells over our heads 
towards the railway station. All that night 
we would hear the whistle of the shells pass- 
ing over head and the bang in the distance 
of their landing. 

The next day we moved out of Soissons 
onto the "Route de Paris." We were just 
outside the city and all night and most of the 
day it was bang, bang, bang. The Huns 
certainly were throwing the shells into the 
city, and it didn't make you feel "in the 
pink/' when you had to go into it for water, 
and to the storehouse and railway station for 



58 CAMION CARTOONS 

supplies. All the time we were there it 
was "beaucoup" work. We carried a great 
many troops from one front to another and 
miles of shells. In fact it was work from 
then on. 

After a short stay here we carried on to 
Villa Helon, which is about two kilometers 
from Longpont. This town was a gem and 
it certainly was tough when we had to leave. 
The day we left, May 28, I believe, the town 
roads were crowded with incoming and out- 
going troops. 

We moved at about midnight and the Huns 
gave us a farewell in the shape of a bombing. 
The French were setting up their famous 
seventy-five guns in the rear of the chateau 
as we pulled out. That wonderful chateau is 
now, no doubt, a heap of ruins. 

Refugees were everywhere. Wagons loaded 
with their goods, people on foot, in carts, 



Aho To TntAiKT; 
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60 CAMION CARTOON S 

on bicycles, all moving towards Paris, crowded 
the roads. 

From Villa Helon we pushed on to Barcy, 
stopping over night a couple of times at some 
towns. Barcy lies just outside the city of 
Meaux and is right where France turned the 
Germans back in 1914. 

While in this town we carried shell after 
shell to those points where the heaviest fight- 
ing was going on. It was at Chateau- 
Thierry that we first saw the American troops 
in number. 

What a changed Chateau-Thierry it was 
when the Boche were driven out! It wasn't 
as badly shot up as I expected to find it, but 
it certainly had been mauled. 

From Barcy we moved to Hardivillers. 
This small town lies between Breteuil and 
Crevecceur-le-Grand, not far from Amiens. 
In the latter place and beyond, we saw 



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62 CAMION CARTOONS 

our first of the British. It was in and 
around Amiens that bombs were the thick- 
est. The country was so open that a night 
convoi was always an invitation for a bomb. 
Between Moreuil and Hangest they took 
twelve shots at us without a hit. That same 
night, however, they got another section 
and wounded a couple of men and killed 
another. 

Our next stop was Bus, the town of no roofs 
and German dugouts, with the nearby woods 
that sported the German huts. Bus is be- 
tween Montdidier and Roye. The former 
city is the worst shot up of any that I have 
seen. It lies on the top of a hill and is just 
blown to dust. Not a wall or a tree standing. 
One could live in Roye without a great deal 
of rebuilding, but there are only walls left. 
Ham wasn't shot up, but burned. While at 
Bus my permission came through and I left 




4tl^+^ 



64 CAMION CARTOON S 

the bunch not knowing where I would find 
them when I came back. 

Port-a-Binson was where I found them. 
No doubt you read how the Germans tried 
to get into fipernay on account of its being a 
centre for supplies. Port-a-Binson is not far 
from fipernay, lying on the bank of the river 
Marne. Here it was I took up the duties of 
clerk — something I'll always remember. 

When we moved again it was to Jonchery, 
between Fismes and Rheims. While in the 
Field Service I had often gone through 
Fismes; you wouldn't know it now, ruins is 
no name for it. From there we rolled on to 
Malmaison. Here we got the news that the 
armistice had been signed. Since leaving 
that town, we have stopped over night in a 
few other villages until we struck here. 

This account is more or less a bunch of 
names. I haven't said much about the work, 



66 CAMION CARTOON S 

which has been carrying shells most of the 
time. Nor have I given much dope on some 
of the excitement that we have seen. Believe 
me, we have had a little excitement in the 
way of bombs, and once in a while, shells. 

I wrote about the Boche and their camou- 
flaged plans. That took place at Chezy aux 
Orxois between Chateau-Thierry and Mareuil 
sur Ourcq. On that day we were carrying 
shells and my car being the last had the fusees. 
You can see that underneath my car was no 
place at all to use as an abris. 

I'm enclosing a bit of German propaganda, 
some of the bunk that they used to drop from 
planes. They certainly must have been in a 
pipe dream if they expected any one to fall 
for that stuff. Their minds work in a queer 
way. 

One of the men who used to work in the 
atelier when we had French workmen, came 



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68 CAMION CARTOON S 

in to see us the other day. He had just got 
back from his permission and from seeing his 
wife and son who had been prisoners. The 
Huns had cut the forefinger from each of his 
wife's hands. That was mild compared with 
some of the other things that they did. 

The other night we staged a party. The 
result is my drawing of Monsieur Light Wine. 
Never again. 

Rumors are flying about. The latest is 
that all men will return to their original 
companies. That's all right, but what be- 
comes of the Field Service men? If it's all 
the same to those higher up, I'll take home. 



70 CAMION CARTOONS 

December 19 
Dear Mother — 

Winter has at last taken the padlock off. 
The rain that has been falling for the last few 
days, has now turned to snow and the tem- 
perature has moved from its suite half way 
up to one near the ground floor. Rubber 
boots and an over coat are very much in 
style these days — also a red nose. 

We are now taking the count in the village 
of Boulzicourt near the cities of Mezieres 
and Charleville. Sedan is also quite close by. 
The day before yesterday I took a trip to 
Charleville: object, a bath. Managed to 
catch a ride on a truck going over. 

After the bath, met a couple of the boys 
and we hustled around to get things fixed up 
for supper. None of the cafes or restaurants 
have started in to serve meals so we went into 



72 CAMION CARTOONS 

the market and got some steak and potatoes. 
The prices are sky high, but one has to eat. 
These we took around to a small cafe and had 
them cooked up. The steak was tough, but 
the "cuisinier" had cooked it in a most 
delicious way — with Pinard. The potatoes 
as usual were French Fried. We had brought 
along our own wine or we would have been 
out of luck. 

After supper we drifted around to a dance 
hall. It was crowded, about ten men to one 
girl, so we didn't try our luck at the French 
dancing. All they do is whirl — always in 
one way and they never reverse. Once in 
awhile you see someone trying to do the old 
turkey trot. After sticking around a short 
while, we started home. No ride this time — 
no luck at all, so we burnt up the road for the 
ten kilom's. 

Yesterday I was over to Sedan. It was 




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74 CAMION CARTOONS 

raining so hard that I didn't do much chasing 
around. Of the two cities Charleville is the 
more picturesque with its long sloping roofs 
and its quaint old fashioned French appear- 
ance. Sedan looks more modern, more like 
the States. 

The day we moved, five of us got left be- 
hind. That is there wasn't enough room in 
the remaining camion — the others had pulled 
out and we thought they were waiting some- 
where down the line. The first stop we knew 
was to be at Boulzicourt, so we started out 
on foot. All of us were dressed pretty 
warmly, as we had expected to hold down the 
front end of a camion. It was raining and 
soon our overcoats were weighing close to a 
ton. Up the line about three miles, I dis- 
covered that two letters for one of the boys 
had been forgotten in the shuffle. It was 
up to me to go back and one of the boys said 





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76 CAMION CARTOON S 

he'd come along. Back we went and rescued 
the mail. We got under way again and this 
time had the luck to jump an ambulance that 
was going straight through. It was going, 
it didn't even hit the high spots. About half 
way we passed the other three birds riding 
the back end of a truck. We pulled into 
Boulzicourt and discovered that the camion 
had moved on to a place called Flize, which 
is on the way to Sedan. 

A camion came bowling along so we hopped 
aboard. Of course it was going to the wrong 
village, but we didn't worry — one can always 
catch a ride. At Mezieres the truck pulled up 
and we jumped off. It was still raining and 
we weren't what you would call dry. Hungry 
and not a thing could be had in the way of 
food. Nothing in the shops, but we did 
manage to get coffee. Along towards night, 
we ran into a Frenchman that set us up to 



78 CAMION CARTOON S 

one fine supper with wine and rum. About 
that time we decided we might as well be 
setting out for the camp. It was raining 
great guns and was so dark that we gave it 
up as a bad job. Instead we got a room over 
a cafe. The woman who ran the place came 
over on the ark. She had remained during 
the years that the Boche held the town, and, 
as a consequence kept running in German 
with her French — something that happens 
quite frequently in these parts. Our room 
was a wonder. The bed boasted seven mat- 
tresses; reminded me of the fairy story of 
how to tell a real princess — when a bunch of 
Janes claimed the crown and to test them out 
they put them to bed on a stack of mattresses. 
Underneath was a pea. The fake ones slept 
like a log, but she of the purple couldn't sleep 
at all and, in the morning, she was black and 
blue from the lump raised by the pea. We 



80 CAMION CARTOON S 

either are not of the purple or there was 
nothing under the mattresses, for we certainly 
tore off the sleep. Just before we turned in 
there was an awful banging on Madame's door, 
and yells in French, German, and Sanscrit I 
guess. She had locked herself in. We went 
out and discovered the key sticking into the 
lock of her door. We gave it a turn, but the 
door stayed shut. We gave it a couple of 
more turns, and tried other combinations — 
still the door refused to open. In the mean- 
time the old girl was yelling "nichtV and 
"ja's" and French cuss words. We expected 
the whole town to show up. Finally Bill had 
the brilliant idea of seeing how our door 
worked. We went over to try it out and in 
fooling with it the door knob came out in my 
hand. I went over, stuck it into Madame's 
door and "Voila" the caged bird was free. 
In the morning we set out for Flize. 



Mew Yom*- Oamm 
GoooN»*ht! Yes 




82 CAMION CARTOON S 

It was still raining and we didn't get a ride. 
We walked and walked and no sign of camp. 
My coat was soaked through, my rubber 
boots were raising the devil with my feet, 
and my labors had given me a turkish bath. 
We pulled into Flize, with nothing like a 
camp in sight. While we were deciding 
whether to wait around for a ride to Sedan, 
where the Mission was, or to look for quarters, 
one of our trucks came panting along. The 
camp was at Boulzicourt. They had come 
over near Flize, had stayed two hours, and 
had gone to Boulzicourt. A staff car came 
flying along, we got a ride and here we 
are. 

This town is quite large. Our quarters 
are very comfortable. We are billeted in a 
French house. Four of us have a front room, 
and if the sun ever comes out, we should get 
our share of it. Our fireplace is working all 



84 CAMION CARTOON S 

the time and we are kept busy getting wood 
to keep the home fire burning. 

Madame had us in for coffee the other after- 
noon. She was here while the Huns held the 
town. Naturally she has no love for them. 
What they couldn't steal they took, and she's 
just about left high and dry. Her son was 
captured at Verdun, but is now home. 

The town hasn't come back to life yet. 
When it does there are enough cafes to feed 
and drink us all. Two dance halls with these 
player pianos are open. Ten centimes sets 
the music going. They have a total of nine 
tunes among which is the Merry Widow — 
you can see how up to date the music is. At 
nights these places are crowded with the 
French troops and Italian road workers. All 
told I've seen three girls, all at once, in these 
places. 

Yesterday my Christmas box showed up. 




Eves 'CiCHT I 



86 CAMION CARTOONS 

The cigarettes came at the right moment, as 
for three days I'd been using a corn cob. 
The "Y" had run out of smokes, and they 
hardly ever visit us nowadays. The knife 
was a wonder — too good to use. 

The other day some of our trucks hauled 
champagne. They came through here and 
stopped for supper, and then went on. They 
left a few cases behind, so water isn't very 
popular just now. 

There is a chance of our getting back in- 
side of a year — just a chance. Hate to 
think of another winter over here. Guess by 
the time I get back there won't be anything 
going on in the states, the war will be a dead 
issue then. 



^WmaT Po Yfeu Know! c 




88 CAMION CARTOONS 

December 26 
Dear Mother — 

Of course we had a big feed. The army 
didn't come across with any extras, but by 
scouring the country for miles around our 
company, and all the companies for that 
matter, had some meal served up. Here's 
our line up — celery soup, roast beef, mashed 
potatoes, macaroni with cheese and tomatoes, 
a salad, cake, prune pie, celery, and cocoa. 
Besides the Red Cross sent cigarettes, candy, 
and crackers. 

In the afternoon we took a ride by camion 
to Sedan where the "Y" was putting on some 
kind of a show for us. After much cheering, 
and not missing a single bump we arrived 
and found that the show was going on — 
movies were being run off — French movies, 
a nice long drawn out thing in six or seven 
parts on Nero, his love affairs, his fiddle, and 




wm 




90 CAMION CARTOONS 

Rome. I for one wasn't at all mad when they 
cut the picture short and started in on some 
live stuff. After a Lieutenant got a couple 
of stories off his chest, the ball started. Some 
real American coons from a near by outfit 
were the live stuff. They sang by fours, 
threes, and twos, and when they got tired of 
that they gave us some A No. i clog dancing. 
Believe me ! they could sure shuffle their feet. 
The "Y" had decked them out in some paper 
caps which added to the hilarity. They were 
the whole show and it was worth the trip to 
see them. 

The "Y" also were there with the Christ- 
mas tree. We rang the bell for chocolate, 
cigarettes, a cigar, and cookies. 

The other day I went over to Charleville 
again. Ran into a place that had real pies 
— chocolate and apple. Also had cakes. The 
prices were near the top, but we bought a 



92 CAMION CARTOON S 

few notwithstanding. The girl behind the 
counter could have sold us ice at the North 
Pole — she was a peach. Two of us told the 
boys to break away and we would show them 
something better — and we did. There was 
a girl in a small cafe that we had discovered 
on our last trip. We took the boys along in 
and they agreed that she was the class. Here 
we ate the pies and cakes and the girl behind 
the bar came in for a share. It was a good 
thing that we were riding in the Ford and not 
walking, or we would never have got back to 
camp. Those pies went fine but we ate more 
than our share I'm afraid. 

Last night and today it snowed again — 
just enough for snow balls. This afternoon 
we were throwing them with the French kids. 
They can peg them as well as our boys, but 
I guess they forget how to use their wing 
when they get older. 



94 CAMION CARTOON S 

There are two kids that drop into the office 
three times a day for their cigarette allowance. 
The oldest is sixteen and the youngest thirteen. 
I made the mistake of giving them one the 
first day and they now take it as a matter of 
course. Guess I'll start them to work sweep- 
ing out the place on their next visit. That 
may break them of the habit — like offering 
a tramp work when he asks for food. 

I don't know if it will work, however, as 
there are a couple who hang out at our 
kitchen. They lug all the water, and do all 
the odd jobs. They are a great help to the 
K. P.'s — in fact our kitchen police, since 
these kids came along, live the life of Riley 
and as for the kids, they eat to their hearts' 
content. 

Saw Les. Herrick yesterday. He's looking 
fine. We went over the feed we had last 
Christmas night — it was a wonder. One of 



96 CAMION CARTOON S 

the boys reminded me that last Christmas 
eve we were pulled out of bed eleven times 
on account of air raids. The Boche did their 
best to put one over on us, but we fooled them. 
I'll never forget those raids. First you would 
hear the guns barking in the distance. Then 
the bark would get nearer and nearer. Next 
the twins would let out their war cry. Finally 
the Lieut, would stick his head in the door 
with the words, "I want every man to go to 
the abri at once.'' Then would be the hunt 
in the dark for shoes, tin derby, gas mask, 
and coat. Then a few bombs. Then the 
dash for the abri. Then the standing around 
wondering how long it was going to last. 
Then another bark from the twins. Then a 
few more bombs. Then the dying away buzz 
of the planes. Then the grand return, only 
to do it all over again a few minutes later. 
It was a great life. The Field Service sent 



oo/M AiMt A C-Vam To 




98 CAMION CARTOONS 

a wallet to us for a Christmas present. On 
the inside there is printed in gold letters 
"Dernier Noel de la Guerre en France." 
Translated literally that means, "It is more 
blessed to give than to receive." Understand 
that they were also going to give us some kind 
of a medal but they weren't finished in time 
and that later on they will come through. 
So another Christmas came and another 

Christmas passed in France. It was a pretty 
good Christmas at that, but if it's all the 
same to all those concerned I'll take my next 
at home. 



ioo CAMION CARTOONS 

January 6, 191 9. 
Dear Mother: 

We have slid into the New Year almost 
without knowing it. We did, however, have 
a small celebration New Year's Eve; but as 
there was no ringing of bells or tooting of 
horns at midnight, we had nothing to remind 
us just what this party was all about. 

The night before last the French troops in 
town put on a show. Stage, scenery, and 
orchestra were very much there, even a 
spotlight. The acts were mostly singing ones; 
sad songs, glad songs, and every old kind of 
a song were dished up. There were also a 
couple of monologues thrown in for good luck. 
They talked so fast that I wasn't able to get 
what they were all about, but from the laughs 
and cheers they must have been not only 
good but spicy. To wind things up, there 



Ma 7 
"to TAwK. To Mo 0«ft 




102 CAMION CARTOONS 

was a one -act play. There were two women 
parts, both taken by French soldiers. They 
were right there with the looks and form 
divine. I was able to follow the play and 
as they say at home, it was rather broad. 

Today was qualification card day. An 
officer sits at a table with a card, that has 
more questions on it than a questionnaire 
and shoots question after question at you. 
You are asked everything, from who your 
favorite actress is to how old is Ann. One 
question was, "What branch of the service 
would you choose, if you had to do it all 
over again?" Guess everyone answered that 
question the same: "Anything but this." 
After all was said and done, it was still a 
question of when we would get home. 

Went over to Charleville the other day. 
Same old reason — to get a bath. The bath 
house was closed, however, there being no 




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104 CAMION CARTOONS 

water. Going over you came pretty close 
to collecting on my insurance. We got a 
ride on a truck, the driver of which would be 
a wonder as a tank jockey. After missing a 
few pedestrians, he ended up by trying to do 
a Brodie off a bridge. Some German pris- 
oners were ahead of us on the bridge, pushing 
a field range along. There was a space left 
about big enough for a baby carriage to squeeze 
by, and "dauntless Harry," seeing an open- 
ing, tried to see if his truck would fit said 
opening. It didn't, and the first thing we 
knew the camion had crashed through the 
railing and the front wheels were dangling in 
space. The drop wasn't a great distance, 
but if we had taken the fall no doubt we would 
have been found with the camion resting on 
the back of our necks. 

Kirkland 



106 CAMION CARTOONS 

January 20 
Dear Mother: 

This week has been full of 'most every- 
thing from M. P's. to Colonels. 

Today the Inspector-General gave us the 
once over, only he isn't a General, just a 
Colonel. You never saw such a scrubbing, 
brushing, and general cleaning up, as went 
on. Our quarters looked like a livery stable 
when we started in, but at the finish the 
Board of Health would have presented us 
with a blue ribbon. Clothes were folded up 
and placed on bunks, shoes shined to a white 
heat, faces washed and shaved, nails cleaned, 
and guns dusted off. At two o'clock the cur- 
tain went up. Down to the field we marched 
where we were to be looked over and to look 
over. We were all curious to see just what 
kind of an army bird an Inspector-General 



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108 CAMION CARTOONS 

was. Judging from majors and colonels we 
had seen, we expected someone who would 
scare us out of seven years of life when he 
asked a question. However, this colonel 
was O. K. and for once an inspection was al- 
most a pleasure. After being given the up 
and down we marched back to camp where 
we fell out to stand by our beds for a barracks 
inspection. We stood by our beds, on which 
were laid out all our A. E. F. possessions. 
Being in the company office, and being com- 
pany clerk, I expected to have all sorts of 
questions fired at me in regard to service 
records, reports, and all that goes to make the 
life of a clerk anything but a joy. However, 
I didn't have to open my mouth. 

The inspector said that the French had 
spoken very highly of us and our work. In 
fact the French M. T. C. have said that 
their American Groupes have done more 



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no CAMION CARTOONS 

work, rolled more cars, and kept their camions 
in better conditions than any French section. 
That if the French had had the camions that 
we did, the cars would have been in the junk 
pile long ago. 

Our Groupe commander received the Croix 
de Guerre last Sunday. He says it's for the 
work done by his men at the front when they 
hauled tanks. It was at the time when 
Lieutenant Edwards was killed. 

I've been to Luxembourg. Our Lieutenant 
gave us his permission and Ford to make the 
trip. Last Saturday at noon we started out. 
We got to Luxembourg at seven and three of 
us went into a hotel to get rooms and see 
about supper. The other two went out on 
a hunt for a garage. We got the rooms (you 
never saw such beds), arranged for supper, 
and then went out to the corner to wait for 
the return of the jitney jockeys. We had no 



ii2 CAMION CARTOONS 

sooner started waiting than two M. P/s 
(military police) gave us the glad hand. 
Wanted to know what we were doing and if 
we had passes. 

We told them we were waiting for two boys 
who had gone to stable a flivver and that 
our pass was with them. That didn't seem 
to please the M. P.'s. (They are always 
hard to please.) They wanted to know just 
what our business in Luxembourg was and 
just what kind of a pass we had. We told 
them we were in Luxembourg for pleasure 
only, and that our pass was a red auto pass 
signed by Major Mallet and countersigned 
by our Lieutenant. That answer didn't make 
the M. P.'s feel any more friendly. Instead 
they told us in no polite terms to come with 
them. We went ! 

The three of us were marched to the city 
hall where our names, number, and A. E. F. 




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ii4 CAMION CARTOONS 

address was taken, everything but finger 
prints. The room where this third degree 
took place was no doubt the club room of the 
Luxembourg police, as three or four of them 
were scattered about the scenery. (Their 
uniform is good enough for any general, if 
brass buttons count.) After getting our pedi- 
gree, an M. P. picked up a very businesslike 
looking key and invited us to come with him. 
We went. We were taken to a six by four 
cell which was already inhabited by two other 
law breakers. Just about this time we woke 
up to the fact that we were arrested and ques- 
tions came thick and fast. The questions 
didn't get us anywhere, so we asked to see 
an A. P. M. officer. There wasn't any 2 but 
at twelve o'clock we could see the sergeant 
of the guard in another jail. Good night! 
One hundred and fifty kilometers — to be 
pinched ! 



n6 CAMION CARTOONS 

All the time we were wondering what had 
become of the other two. In about an hour 
we heard the door out front open and then 
heard voices in the club room. It was they! 
The pass was ho good, to be good it needed 
only a General's scrawl. The gate opened 
and in they came. 

At twelve o'clock we were pulled out and 
lined up with the rest of that night's haul. 
About twenty of us, I should say. We were 
then marched to the other side of the river 
to the railroad station. Through the wait- 
ing room and upstairs we were taken. A very 
heavy door was opened and we were pushed 
into a room. In this room were gathered the 
round-up from all the smaller jails. There 
were about fifty of us, and the room was 
overflowing. No chairs, bunks or pictures, 
just a dirty floor and a blank wall. The 
gathering was a rummage sale. 



n8 CAMION CARTOONS 

About six o'clock the corporal of the guard 
came in. He looked the room over and asked 
where the five men were who had the French 
pass. We spoke up and were told to come 
with him. We went and were told that our 
pass was no good, that we could go but would 
have to leave town at once. 

Luxembourg, from what I saw of it, is a 
wonderful city. Street cars, electric lights, 
cafes, hotels, stores and at least one good- 
looking girl, were a few of the things we saw. 

No doubt you have noticed that each divi- 
sion has some sort of shoulder insignia. 
Ours is a yellow trumpet on a green back- 
ground. It is the coat of arms of the Mallet 
Reserve. If ever you see on the left sleeve 
right where it joins the shoulder the yellow 
trumpet on the green background, you will 
know that the Mallet Reserve is on its way. 

Kirkland 







Sure. Th3e.V Wiu\-1 




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